1. Field of the Invention
The invention is generally directed to archery equipment, and is particularly related to the point of an arrowhead which allows for enhanced penetration through bone, cartilage, hide, and other difficult to penetrate materials. The point is specifically designed to separate difficult to penetrate materials such as bone through a wedging action after the point first contacts the material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hunting wild game using archery equipment is a centuries old tradition. Recent advances in archery equipment have again popularized the sport. One particular area of invention and innovation that has lead to improved results in terms of flight accuracy, speed at impact, and rate of kill, and the like, is focussed on the arrowhead. Ultimately, an arrow kills an animal through hemorrhage and bleed out. Thus, it is important that the arrow be able to penetrate into, and preferably through, the target animal. A wide variety of designs of arrowheads have been devised, wherein the object is to create maximum damage and hemorrhaging. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,998,738, 5,082,292, 5,100,143, and 5,112,063 to Puckett show examples of a highly accurate arrowhead with deployable blades which open upon impact with an animal, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,916 to Puckett shows an arrowhead with blades that protrude from the body member, but which can move forward upon withdrawal of the arrowhead from an animal.
Prior to this invention, most arrowhead designers have focussed their attention on the arrowhead blades and the choice of materials for use in the arrowhead. This is principally due to the effect wind shear has on the accuracy of the arrowhead, and to the effect weight of the arrowhead has on the speed of the arrow at impact. Few people have made much modification to the point of the arrowhead. Typically, the point of the arrowhead is either conical or chisel-like. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,998,738, 5,082,292, 5,100,143, 5,112,063, and 5,172,916 to Puckett show examples of conical points, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,380 to Maleski and U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,148 to Musacchia show examples of chisel-like points. Maleski shows a multifacetted chisel-like point.
It would be advantageous to provide a point-design which can be used on a wide variety of arrowheads that improves the penetration of the arrow through bone, cartilage, hide, and other materials. Because the point is the first portion of the arrowhead to contact a game animal, improvements in its design can have a profound enhancement on the overall performance of the arrowhead.